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Saturday, June 24, 2017

Bent Knee - Land Animal

For me, they are still one of the most mind-blowing and eruptive
bands to come out of Boston with a volcanic roar that the lava itself flows
rapidly quick of showing no sign of stopping to raise hell. That band is Bent Knee.
With three albums in the can, they still keep going for more. And with them being on the
road with bands such as Thank You Scientist and with The Dillinger Escape Plan
for their farewell tour, they have come a long, long, long way. And the six-piece show that they can take their music
higher with their fourth album, Land
Animal.

They are on a new label with InsideOut Music. To me, that’s
very interesting to be on a label with bands such as Knifeworld, Haken,
Karmakanic, Beardfish, and Ayreon. I wouldn’t say it’s like winning the Super
Bowl, but it’s a big leap forward from moving from one label to another. But
let’s get straight into Land Animal. I’m
going to say this right now, but this is one of the most powerful and scariest
album I’ve ever listened to. It shows that Bent Knee will keep on going for
more of the long and winding roads ahead.

Terror Bird kicks
the door open with Gavin’s intensive drumbeats along with Ben’s guitar making
it sound like a clock ticking followed by an eerie quick second of the synths
going into a lullaby. And then Ben hits you in the gut as he channels the vibes
of Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. He then takes you into the heavens with some of
his psychedelic moments on Hole.

It is an electronic alternative arrangement with some
pumping sounds as Courtney Swain’s vocals go on high alert for a brief second
as the lyrics deal of finding the strength to keep going while the stand-out
track Holy Ghost gives Baum makes the
violin pluck as if the pin has already dropped. This is a very killer
composition because Courtney takes you beyond of the reflections of the mirror
as if Beauty is showing their dark side by taking the mask off.

The lyrics are raw, tight and front of your face by giving
you the facts; “Oh nothing charges me
like the night/It is like good god/I was born to write hey, wait/What about my
body though?/I got to find a way to get more glitter/more sass/more time/wine
and dining/kissing ass.” You can’t write amazing lyrics like that. You just
can’t. But now you can. And again, it hits you right in the face as if they are
giving you a gigantic reality check.

The mid-section becomes a cat-and-mouse sequence between Ben
Levin, Jessica Kion’s Bass, Vince’s ‘80s video games synth, and Gavin setting
up the mysterious case of the grizzly crime scene on the drums. Courtney isn’t
trying to be center of attention, but she wants to make sure the band are a
team and keeping the machine alive. She pours her heart and soul in her vocals
as if the character is ready to break out of this madness.

Bent Knee take a break on the first three minutes and
fifty-seven seconds on Insides In. This
shows their softer side with a mellowing jazz ballad as it has these Tori Amos
lyrical structures. The classical string section has this ‘50s romantic sound
before the last couple of minutes become a booming nightmare as synths become
harp sounds, Ben’s guitar chords are explosive, and it sets up the tone that is
happening with an unexpected twist by ending with a chilling drone.

Jessica Kion comes on center stage as her Bass line on Those Hands, sets up the scenario of the character’s
life becoming more worried, depressed, being in danger, and all alone. And
while they aren’t around to help you, you have to deal with the facts of
growing up and facing family life. It is walking towards the deeper tunnels
between classical music and alternative post-rock.

The title-track begins with some string sections straight
out of the 1960s TV series, The Fugitive that
blares out of nowhere as if it was done by the great Bernard Herrmann. It’s
almost at times that the lyrics are dealt through the mind of a little mouse
sneaking through the house for some crumbs in those sections through Courtney’s
vocals. You can absolutely feel the vocals, stirring sections, and the band
going on a dangerous tight rope.

Time Deer feels as
if it is the third installment of the continuation of the tracks between Way Too Long and Leak Water. It has this Roy Orbison-sque punch of early to mid-‘60s
vibe featuring some action-packed/dramatic sequence in the last minute and
thirty-two seconds featuring Gavin’s galloping drums. Stomping intro, has this ‘60s
girl’s group essence in the sound of going into parallel universes.

And then Courtney almost goes into the vocal arrangements
through the Dalek-sque arrangement as the finale Boxes features dooming bass synths and drums as if its straight out
of Alex Proyas 1998 film, Dark City featuring
a haunting abrupt end as there’s dead silence for the last seven minutes to
close the album. The two bonus tracks contain the title track going through a
surreal ‘50s house of a dystopian effect going into a haywire effect as if it
is all over the place done by the remix of Ben Levin.

The Sylvia Massy mix of Way
Too Long which sounds like it was recorded on a tape recorder, is a
different take. It’s menacing, punchy, and volcanic than what was on the
original version on Shiny Eyed Babies. It
may divide a line in the sand whether they will admire Bent Knee’s new album or
not, but it grows on you. However, Land
Animal is definitely on my soon to be top 25 albums of the year so far.

There’s going to be some gigantic competition on which
albums will be on there. This one is definitely going to be on there. Bent Knee
never disappoints me. Again, Land Animal is
one of the scariest and eruptive albums I’ve listened to. And you need to check
it out. Worth recommending.

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About Me

I'm a blogger/freelance writer from Houston, TX who writes album reviews because I enjoy it. Even though, I'm not the best writer, there is no stop sign for me. I have a love of Progressive Rock music, Jazz Fusion, and Early Heavy Metal music from the '60s to the early '80s. I went to HCC (Houston Community College) for nine years and have completed my degree in Music in Performance: Jazz Studies. I've been writing Progressive Rock and Symphonic Metal reviews starting back in 2008 on my blogsite and it never gets old.